Updated Google Wallet app coming to all US-based Android phones

Google Wallet app now focusing on more than just NFC payments

There are some big changes in store for Google Wallet. The few phones that are able to actually use the NFC payment option will still have that ability, but Google is expanding the usage of the app, adding some new features, and rolling it out to any Android phone running 2.3 or higher (US only).

The new options aim to make the app more useful on carriers where it has been blocked or on devices without the needed NFC hardware. The new app will be able to send money for free to anyone in the US with an email address, just like we've seen from Gmail. In addition, for a small fee money can be transferred by debit or credit card.

Users will also be able to directly scan in loyalty cards and use them while shopping at brick and mortar stores. This extends to all devices that can run the app, and not just those with a secure NFC option as in the past. You'll also be able to join new programs like Alaska Airlines, Belly, and Red Mango within the Google Wallet app, Other companies are listed as "coming soon", such as Avis and Marriot.

The app is rolling out in the next few weeks, so this is something to be on the lookout for. Of course, for those not afraid to try a dodgy apk file, those will be posted online shortly we imagine.

It's the NFC payment service/app that VZW, AT&T and T-Mo went with instead of Google Wallet. If you go into Play store and do a search for Isis, you will find the Isis NFC payment app listed for those specific carriers.

No. They're attempting to do a nationwide rollout now. I have been using it for about 4 months now and I'm not in one the test markets. The key is to get proper SIM card for your phone so that you can use it. On Verizon, you have to log into your account and go to your device page. That's where you will see a small link to order your SIM card that is compatible with ISIS. Once that comes in, you activate it and then you can initiate the ISIS setup.

I know you can drop into an ATT store to get the ISIS secure SIM, at least in Austin, one of the test markets. No thanks. Good thing though is the terminals are in more places in Austin and goole wallet works on the terminals also.

Yeah, that's one of the biggest disappointments for me with this product. I was on the phone with support a month or two ago because of an issue I was having with the app and brought up the lack of cards you can add. They said they're hoping that more banks will sign on...right after that, CapOne apparently pulled out. I think doing a national roll out with only AMEX and Chase is a big mistake.

I wonder if Google will make Google Wallet utilize the secure element on the new SIM instead of the one on the phone, the carriers will then allow us to use GW. I doubt they will because of not getting a cut in every transaction though.

I use Amex for 99% of purchases, it's no fee, with FANTASTIC perks for using the card, from generous cash back, to doubling warranties, doubling purchasing return periods, and loss/damage replacement automatically on all purchases.

I also have a Chase Visa.

Both are working just fine on my ISIS Droid Maxx here in Los Angeles. Wallet is much better, but I'm sick of the hacking game to try to get it on different devices. I just want something that works out of the box, and right now, that's ISIS.

ISIS will charge the consumer to buy products as well as the vendor to sell their products. ISIS will charge you to load the app every time you need to add money. Usually consumers aren't charged to use the products, just the merchants.

Guys, it's important to note that Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile only block the functionality to pay via your phone bill using your phone's NFC.

They have no direct control over your phone, and you can still use it to pay via Google Wallet with NFC, just using a credit card or bank account that you link to Google Wallet. I have a Nexus 4 on T-Mobile and I've payed multiple times with my phone.

Daily as going to the store and using it to make purchases or just for online shopping? Because the only place really that has an option to pay with google wallet in person that I can think of off the top of my head is 7-11

This. I've used it at so many different places. Get the Mobile Paypass app to show any terminals in your area. I usually just use it to blow the minds of cashiers and bystanders (cool, I know ; p), but it has also saved my a$$ on occasion when I had my phone but not my wallet and needed something important like gas!

Wallet works on Verizon phones after side loading it. You can sign in and see your purchases BUT you can not make a purchase. It allows you to do everything but make a purchase use NFC. Thanks Verizon and/Google.

How so? I have tried out the new Wallet on my Verizon S3 unrooted after sideloading it and I can run the app but I can't use the NFC to purchase anything. Does yours work differently? Are you rooted or unrooted? If you have it working, please explain to the rest of us on how you are special.

The T-Mobile HTC One (in fact, all Ones, except Sprint model IIRC) does not have the proper hardware to run Wallet. While it has NFC, it (supposedly) lacks the all-important "secure element" chip that Google requires for Wallet to run.

Depends on how you installed it. I use the Xposed Framework and patched GW module on my Sprint LGOG running CM 10.2. The patch simply removes the region/carrier check. Unless Google drastically changes that part of the app, the patch module should still work with the update. So far it has worked for me after every update thus far. *keeps fingers crossed*

EDIT: Also to answer your question, No. You will not lose NFC functionality. That is hardware based. Most devices with NFC, whether there is a NFC payment app or not, can still use NFC to transfer files and such to other NFC enabled devices. You will just lose the ability to make payments via NFC.

Nope, sideloading simply means downloading/installing from a place other than the Google Pay store (for all intents and purposes). Look up the most recent version of whatever app you'd like to install. Google that version .apk, download, install (same as from play), and profit. Never had a problem using Gwallet on evil Big Red for the year I had my beloved Gnex.

Not true, some services are very easy to roll out to other countries. Others (like those involving money) are far more complex. Depending on the adoption rate of those particular services, it may not make sense to roll them out. As it is, Google Wallet use in the US is pretty low, in other countries, it may be even lower. Europe's antagonistic attitude towards Google services doesn't help matters either.
it's not as simple as not wanting to give the services to others. Google's business model revolves around giving as many services to as many people as possible, but it's just not feasible in all situations.

I'm not sure what antagonism Google gets from the E.U., it certainly gets a sweetheart tax deal from their member nations. Google also wouldn't get all the bullshit interference from the phone networks the same way they do in the US. Also PayPal are currently testing their own wireless payment system in the U.K. that involves using customer's face's to pay via a mobile device. Facebook are also supposed to be working on their own mobile payment system too. So Google are some way behind their competitor's in this area.

Google is under a lot of pressure from the EU regarding their marketshare of the search market, the use of preferred results (paid advertisements) marketshare in the mobile market and near constant privacy complaints. When Google so much as sneezes, the EU jumps on them for spreading the plague.

Just remember, a majority of US people still cannot use Google Wallet NFC, because the US Carriers are blocking it from our phones. Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. All want people to use some crappy, ISIS. I would rather trust Google with my credit card then linking it to another service / company. But I do not get a choice since I am on AT&T.

Verizon. To expound on that. Back when Google Wallet app was announced, the three big carriers (VZW, AT&T, T-MO) didn't like the idea that Google wasn't charging, or allowing anyone to issue charges through GW on transactions. So Isis approached them, told them they could make money using their system instead, and they went with Isis and blocked GW on their carriers. So yes, those three carriers went with what would make them more money (at the expense of their customers) and not what was best for their customers.

Exactly like the carriers do not have our money already. So they try to deny choice. Sad thing is most people will not think twice about using ISIS without realizing they are fueling less choice in the future from the carriers.

I installed this yesterday around 1pm (Verizon stock Touchwiz GS4), and go the usual "not compatible with your device or network" message. It had the publish date as Sept. 17. Last night, around 10pm, I got an update notice for Wallet, with the same publish date (no time available, and I didn't track version numbers before taking this update) and it installed successfully, and it seems to work. I have to add a card to it, but I got the email from Google talking about how Wallet had successfully installed. Mysterious, but I hope it fully works and stays that way.

Just installed on my T-Mobile S4 and immediately got an error saying it was not available for my device or mobile network. Not sure if I still got the old version because it hasn't rolled out yet or if T-Mobile is blocking it regardless of the update, but it's not all there at the moment.

Agreed which is why I stated above I have never used it on my Nexus 7. I can still see my transactions etc and with this new update will have more functionality than tap to pay which is what most here will not be able to use with carrier branded phones.

What I don't understand is why they don't just make GW work with the Secure Chip in the Sim card for VZW. VZW blocks the NFC because they "claim" the secure device could be trouble, so they control it in the SIM vs the Device. So.....just allow GW to work with the SIM....easy fix...... Oh, wait. That's right. VZW, AT&T, and T-Mo all have their hands in the ISIS cookie jar.

And if I run the GW Hack......I can make payments through the damn PAYPASS credit card machines??? It doesn't need to say anything about Google wallet?

Ok I'm just sick of these US-only release. I want Wallet, Voice, Music, Chromecast, LTE Nexus 7. Just take a truck and send everything physical on a 6h ride from Boston and you're there (I'm in Canada). Everything else software related can be released. Don't get going with "It's a law thing". Apple has ITunes since years here, why can't Music get here?

I really hope this will change with Kit Kat.

"It's our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody."

better not become

"It's our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody in the US."

Well, it is. That's just reality, you can deny reality if you want, but I don't recommend it. If you think Google doesn't want to make their services available in more places, you're a fool. When Gogle Music doesn't have certain songs or accessibility, that's not because of Google, that's because of the record labels.

And I do agree with you. I'm not staying in the denial but I only think they are doing it wrong. I perfectly know that Google is smart enough to want to give access to all their services to everyone. But like I said, what's the difference between ITunes and Music? ITunes has more labels, more music thus should be more complicated to get licensing. I don't know everything it involves but it is just logic that both should be available or both should not get approved for a given law set. And if I put myself in the shoes of the average user (the one that thinks Android and Google are two separate companies), my choice goes with ITunes because it is simply available. And to be quite honest, I almost decided myself to begin using ITunes once because of that silliness ... and I am a Nexus fanboy who despise everything Apple does.

* I do exclude All-Access from this logic.

That's for Music. Wallet is a problem with banks and/or carriers. Voice is with carriers. Nexus 7 LTE and Chromecast is a total mystery though.

Long story short : Maybe I just hate being in Canada. I love the place, I love the life, but god I would want to have everything you guys have in the US.

Apple was first to the online Music party so they have deals with all of the record labels, some of which are exclusive, meaning those labels are bound by those deals to not sell music digitally to other vendors. This is why Jerry and others always complain about music exclusives, they're one more example of why record companies SUCK.
Pulling off Voice in the US was complicated enough, I don't think it would work outside the US, especially with many governments (under pressure from telecomms) scrutinizing Google for Anti-competitive behavior. ATT pitched a fit when Google came out with Voice.
Chromecast is not such a mystery as it seems at first. Google has to keep their media partners happy so that they can distribute music, movies, TV shows, etc. When Chromecast first came out there was a lot of talk about how jittery content providers were about it. yes, that sounds stupid, but look how bass-ackward these companies are in their approaches to new technology. It's completely ridiculous. They fight tooth and nail against new advances in technology because they're afraid of the possibility of losing some part of the huge profits they've grown used to accumulating.
Tell you what, I'll trade you Google for your healthcare system.

I filed a anti-competitive behavior complaint with the Department of Justice over Verizon's blockage of Wallet. Verizon took it seriously, as they called me to confirm these received the complaint from the USDOJ. If enough people file a complaint, Verizon might change their mind. To file a complaint google "how to file anti-competitive complaint"

This was brought up before. And not that I'm saying people shouldn't do this. But they came out and used the bullshit excuse that it was GWs hardware requirement for the NFC secure element as the reason they were blocking it. Not because they were being anti-competitive. Again, which is complete bullshit. But so far the DoJ has bought their bullshit story.

So I like the concept of sending money, using rewards cards, etc, with the app, and while I see the potential of using your phone to pay for stuff, in my (admittedly limited) experience it's still not as convenient as just using a credit card. If I'm at Harris Teeter, say, I can swipe the card a lot faster than I can get out my phone, unlock it, touch it to the scanner, wait for it to go through, etc. And that's only if I have cell phone service - with T-Mobile in Washington DC where a lot of stores are buried inside office buildings, I frequently don't.

So I'm not trying to be negative and I love the idea - am I just missing something?

For me, it's convenient as my phone is typically already in my hand when I'm shopping and most likely unlocked. So I just launch the app, enter the passcode and I'm done. Signal has never been an issue (even in the D.C. area) on Verizon and it doesn't always require a connection to work.

How does sending money to an email address work? Say I have my bank account attached to Wallet. I send my buddy some money via his Gmail account. How does he get that money into his bank account? Is it a link he clicks on or what?

I would guess so. My bank offers a similar thing. It asks me for the recipient email and to define a question and answer. It then sends an email to that person with a link. On the link, the person must answer the question correctly for the transaction to happen. You just have to communicate the answer the safest way you can. I personally use smoke signals.

* Again, remember this is from my bank. I would suspect something similar with Wallet.

It does and has worked for some time. It's just that the app is blocked on VZW, AT&T and T-Mo (blocked by the carriers, not Google). That will not change. Also Google is slow in adding more compatible devices for those devices that do support the hardware requirements (and on supported carriers). That is on Google and the Hardware manufacturers. Which is why a lot of people who want to use this and have a hardware compatible device (such as me) end up just rooting and unlocking their device to get it to work.

The title says, "Updated Google Wallet app coming to all US-based Android phones." My phone is rooted and I have tried the work around using Modaco on my previous device, the Note 2. Sometimes I could get it to work, other times not. That isn't my issue. My issue is that the title says, "Updated Google Wallet app coming to all US-based Android phones." That suggests to me that my phone, the LG G2, which is rooted, and also is unable to retrieve the app from the Play store, will be able to download the app from the Play store and use it as intended, for NFC payments. Yes or no? If not, why not as the title suggests it will?

My probably-not-as-informed-as-others-understanding is that the app is downloadable and installable on all US Android 2.3+ phones, but that NFC payments can only be made on devices that it previously worked on. So, sadly, that doesn't even mean that it will necessarily work if you have NFC, but only if you have NFC and it worked before.

That remains to be seen. So far the update is rolling out but is still not available to all devices. From my understanding, ANY Android device will (eventually) be able to download and use this, but only those with NFC hardware will be able to use the NFC payment function. I believe that is where the "Updated Google Wallet app coming to all US-based Android phones." is coming from. Yes, all devices will eb able to use the app, but they may not be able to use all the apps functionality.

I am already reading other sites where people on VZW, AT$T and T-Mo have downloaded the update and it is running on their devices. Now whether they can use the NFC payment function or not still remains to be seen. Google previously used a region/carrier check upon startup of the app to determine if your device was "compatible". They may have changed it to run the check upon attempting to use the NFC payment function and not upon starting the app. Again, this remains to be seen.

I would so love it if it allowed those on the three carriers who blocked GW to be able to now actually use the NFC payment function. I can only hope.

FWIW, I have a VZW Galaxy Nexus (rooted, running CM10.2). I never had to do anything beyond downloading the wallet apk and installing it, but despite being on a "blocked" carrier, I was able to use the NFC functionality.

Me too. I don't own the GNex anymore and I would like it to work with all NFC hardware Android devices. This really pisses me off. I understand why this is happening but it is inexcusable, and most likely illegal.

I just installed this on my 2012 Nexus 7, and while it implied it would not work on a rooted device due to possible security changes from a nonstock OS, it seems to have fully installed. Don't know when I'll try it.
Best part is it shows all of my Play Store purchases back to my first almost three years ago.

What carrier? Did it give you the same "not currently supported on your device/carrier" message on app start up? Or did it give a you similar message when you attempted to use the NFC payment function?

I'm on AT&T with an unlocked/unbranded Xperia ZL. The previous version would install but tell me my device and/or carrier are not supported. The latest update installs fine, allows me to use the [useless] new features, but the NFC payment option isn't available at all. I suppose if your device is supported then it'd be available to you.

Damn, so it looks like they just changed the carrier check from app startup to when you attempt to use the NFC payment function. Or, it simply does the carrier check at startup and locks out the NFC function when it finds you on a unsupported carrier. This concern me because that could also screw up the Xposed mod patch which removed that check.

If google wallet was not pre installed on your phone and NFC tap to pay did not work prior to this update, it is not going to work after the update. They added features but this will not may tap to pay work if it did not before the update.

"It turns out that not only is the apk rollout staged through Google Play, but activation is also staged on the server side. As a result, some users who download the app and sideload it will get an error until the rollout is at 100%. This won't affect all users, so just be aware that this issue could arise and the app will work as it should once the rollout has been completed."

It works on Verizon. There is an updated description in the play store explaining that it's slowly rolling out to all US devices and to check back. There are also users commenting that it works on Verizon

I've had GW side loaded on my VZ Gnex since Jan 2012 with and w/out root and I've never had a problem using it. A friend of mine told me about this update so I uninstalled the side loaded GW apk and installed GW on my VZ Gnex and Nexus 7 (2013) directly from the Playstore. I was able to activate tap and pay on my VZ gnex but wasn't given that option on my Nexus 7 (2013). I'll test it at the store later to see if tap and pay will work on my Gnex.

It is a strange app, Google Play says that I can install it on my Xperia Z C6602 and also my Note II N7100 but I am not allowed to put it on the Xperia Z Ultra C6802, which is my main device. I fail to understand the logic why I am allowed to install it on the Z but not on the Ultra, there's no difference between them that can explain it.

I guess it will be sideloading of an apk then. It is an improvement that it isn't necessary to edit build.prop any more.

Wow ok I am stupid, I forgot I am on 4.1.2 When reading the Android 2.3 or higher I was thinking 4.3 :P I went to the Playstore on my pc. It is now showing that the app is compatible with my phone but it wasn't yesterday.

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